It lasted 20 minutes and the Executive agreed a draft framework for the programme of government which will now go out for public consulation.

On Wednesday the new ministers were announced at Stormont with eleven out of the 12 posts shared between the DUP and Sinn Fein - with the justice minister post being taken by Independent Unionist Claire Sugden.

Ministerial offices

The new DUP ministers are:

Minister for the the Economy - Simon Hamilton

Minister for Education - Peter Weir

Minister for Agriculture and the Environment - Michelle McIlveen

Minister for Communities - Paul Givan

Junior minister - Alastair Ross

Independent Claire Sugden is Justice Minister

DUP Paul Givan minister for Department of Communities

Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill minster for Health

DUP's Simon Hamilton is Minister for the Economy.

Sinn Fein's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir is Finance Minister.

Sinn Fein's Chris Hazzard is Minister for the Department of Infrastructure.

The DUP leader said: "I expect the opposition to struggle for relevance and they will attack Claire and the process.

"We will work with Claire to give her all the support she needs in the Executive and help her to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.

"I'm not really focusing on small things, such as Mike Nesbitt wanting to sit somewhere different - that's where his focus is.

"I thought it was pathetic. On a day that we have been told here is this great new opposition that the first thing he has to say is that he wants to sit in a different place. Is that where his focus is, it says a lot about him and where his party is going.

"I'm about delivering for the people of Northern Ireland who have put their trust in me and to deliver good government for the people of Northern Ireland."

Mrs Foster also said that she would be taking a "personal interest" in all ministerial departments.

She said: "It's not a case of us being in departmental silos - and that's something else I emphasised yesterday to my colleagues - we are moving forward in a new way of doing things."

"We will not be working in silos we will be working across departmental lines."